Down side of Free Vending

[SteveIsGreen]

Pod Point turned a single 50kWh Rapid over to free vend at my local Tesco's overflow car park back July-ish.
I pass this charger multiple times in my daily runs and from the very start the charger barely caught a break.
Like Fly's to Sh........ Moths to a light it was. Myself included a handful of times and this is what I have seen and been told by other drivers while I was there.

Local Uber drivers in Tesla Model S's hording the pump for hours.
I think the whole local DPD EV fleet started a new depo there at times
I saw 5 EV's parked around the charger waiting, when I passed it on one occasion (Utter madness)
Many cars being charged to 100% with and without owners with the car. (Many of the with out's leaving the car plugged in for ages and not returning after fully charging)
Many owner staying with the cars telling others where to go when the 80% charging was mentioned! (The DPD drivers being the worst for that) Absolute chaos at times.
For the times I used it I went to the charger at silly O'clock so I would have a better chance to get on it.
If and when I used that pump (Or any pump in this situation) I stick to the rule of charging to 80% if someone was waiting.
Or I would come off the pump if someone turned up while I was between 80 & 100%.
I only charged to 100% a couple of time anyhoo. It can take just along as it takes to charge from 10% to 80% to charge from 80% - 100%.
The charger was turned back to to a pay charger on Tuesday and since then you would think there was a quarantine zone around the thing.
Why turned back to pay? I don't know for sure? Because of the usage of the charger? Because of the increase of wholesale? Anyone's guess?

I don't begrudge anyone getting a free charge. (Everyone loves a freebie)
Sadly I think the rude behaviour is the product of the society we live in and is just human nature

Thoughts on the above? Stories if you have them?
Has this happened/happening in your area?

 

[Kithmo]

Pod Point turned a single 50kWh Rapid over to free vend at my local Tesco's overflow car park back July-ish.
I pass this charger multiple times in my daily runs and from the very start the charger barely caught a break.
Like Fly's to Sh........ Moths to a light it was. Myself included a handful of times and this is what I have seen and been told by other drivers while I was there.

Local Uber drivers in Tesla Model S's hording the pump for hours.
I think the whole local DPD EV fleet started a new depo there at times
I saw 5 EV's parked around the charger waiting, when I passed it on one occasion (Utter madness)
Many cars being charged to 100% with and without owners with the car. (Many of the with out's leaving the car plugged in for ages and not returning after fully charging)
Many owner staying with the cars telling others where to go when the 80% charging was mentioned! (The DPD drivers being the worst for that) Absolute chaos at times.
For the times I used it I went to the charger at silly O'clock so I would have a better chance to get on it.
If and when I used that pump (Or any pump in this situation) I stick to the rule of charging to 80% if someone was waiting.
Or I would come off the pump if someone turned up while I was between 80 & 100%.
I only charged to 100% a couple of time anyhoo. It can take just along as it takes to charge from 10% to 80% to charge from 80% - 100%.
The charger was turned back to to a pay charger on Tuesday and since then you would think there was a quarantine zone around the thing.
Why turned back to pay? I don't know for sure? Because of the usage of the charger? Because of the increase of wholesale? Anyone's guess?

I don't begrudge anyone getting a free charge. (Everyone loves a freebie)
Sadly I think the rude behaviour is the product of the society we live in and is just human nature

Thoughts on the above? Stories if you have them?
Has this happened/happening in your area?

You've just seen a glimpse of the future.
Whilst I also don't begrudge anyone a free charge, hogging it and charging to full when it's busy are downright rude and unfortunately this is going to become the norm as more selfish people adapt to EVs.
I suspect Tescos have put them to pay in response to complaints of people hogging the chargers and spoiling it for the considerate drivers.

 

[JCFlippen]

I’ve used Tescos a few times when away from home to top up but always shop in the store to salve my conscience although no need really as our weekly big shop is usually done at our local Tescos.
Something for nothing is the blight of our modern world. Something for nothing means someone else is paying for it.
Free chargers should have a maximum time to charge and a heavy overstay fee.

 

[jamesie]

Can you imagine what would happen if a fuel filling station went onto free vend?!

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

Have you ever attended an event with a free bar? Carnage.

People are in the main greedy and selfish. When something is free they over-indulge, when they are paying they are more inclined to just take what they need.

 

[chowbenter]

That's a shame, Some entitled people just ruin it for everyone else, Luckily I don't see this stuff as my car usage since retiring means I don't need to use public chargers.

 

[jamesie]

Have you ever attended an event with a free bar? Carnage.

People are in the main greedy and selfish. When something is free they over-indulge, when they are paying they are more inclined to just take what they need.

Agree with this but would add that free chargers also suffer for not being maintained in a timely manner. Many Chargeplace Scotland chargers are free but the owners (predominantly local authorities) will be reluctant to spend money on them as they bring in no income and have to battle it out with other local authority services for spend.

Charge a reasonable price that allows decent maintenance and the ability to increase charger coverage.

 

[Jto]

I have only charged at Tescos once on holiday at the Norfolk coast, the car park had a stay of two hours in the summer and 3 hours at winter. I was the only one charging and did do some shopping in the store.

 

[chowbenter]

It seems that local authorities are way behind on charging infrastructure too, I've emailed my local council three times to ask about local chargers for our town just outside the Bolton border but as yet received no replies Two-thirds of local authorities have no EV charging plans - The Transport Network

 

[ChrisVanRock]

Pod Point turned a single 50kWh Rapid over to free vend at my local Tesco's overflow car park back July-ish.
I pass this charger multiple times in my daily runs and from the very start the charger barely caught a break.
Like Fly's to Sh........ Moths to a light it was. Myself included a handful of times and this is what I have seen and been told by other drivers while I was there.

Local Uber drivers in Tesla Model S's hording the pump for hours.
I think the whole local DPD EV fleet started a new depo there at times
I saw 5 EV's parked around the charger waiting, when I passed it on one occasion (Utter madness)
Many cars being charged to 100% with and without owners with the car. (Many of the with out's leaving the car plugged in for ages and not returning after fully charging)
Many owner staying with the cars telling others where to go when the 80% charging was mentioned! (The DPD drivers being the worst for that) Absolute chaos at times.
For the times I used it I went to the charger at silly O'clock so I would have a better chance to get on it.
If and when I used that pump (Or any pump in this situation) I stick to the rule of charging to 80% if someone was waiting.
Or I would come off the pump if someone turned up while I was between 80 & 100%.
I only charged to 100% a couple of time anyhoo. It can take just along as it takes to charge from 10% to 80% to charge from 80% - 100%.
The charger was turned back to to a pay charger on Tuesday and since then you would think there was a quarantine zone around the thing.
Why turned back to pay? I don't know for sure? Because of the usage of the charger? Because of the increase of wholesale? Anyone's guess?

I don't begrudge anyone getting a free charge. (Everyone loves a freebie)
Sadly I think the rude behaviour is the product of the society we live in and is just human nature

Thoughts on the above? Stories if you have them?
Has this happened/happening in your area?

Shouldnt commercial outfits like Uber be banned from free chargers … they are course making profit out of free power …. Difficult one to police

 

[johnd973]

Surprised people are seeing so many issues with the pod point free chargers. I'm guessing in big cities there is more demand than there is supply and people aren't being considerate in their usage.

I'm in deepest darkest Devon and don't see any problems with charger availability or driver's hogging them. We generally head to Tesco for our shopping, have a bit of breakfast in the cafe and come out a couple of hours later to a car which has charged enough to cover our journey. Never seen all chargers occupied, chargers not working or driver's queuing. I think it's a great service and we probably wouldn't be shopping in Tesco if the chargers weren't there.

Be interesting to see how many of those drivers hogging free stations until their car is full, end up getting parking fines for overstaying the time limit or breaking the return restrictions. Most Tesco car parks are ANPR controlled. Perhaps in more popular destinations Tesco needs to manage it a little better or better still, people need to be more considerate.

 

[Rookery]

Pod Point turned a single 50kWh Rapid over to free vend at my local Tesco's overflow car park back July-ish.
I pass this charger multiple times in my daily runs and from the very start the charger barely caught a break.
Like Fly's to Sh........ Moths to a light it was. Myself included a handful of times and this is what I have seen and been told by other drivers while I was there.

Local Uber drivers in Tesla Model S's hording the pump for hours.
I think the whole local DPD EV fleet started a new depo there at times
I saw 5 EV's parked around the charger waiting, when I passed it on one occasion (Utter madness)
Many cars being charged to 100% with and without owners with the car. (Many of the with out's leaving the car plugged in for ages and not returning after fully charging)
Many owner staying with the cars telling others where to go when the 80% charging was mentioned! (The DPD drivers being the worst for that) Absolute chaos at times.
For the times I used it I went to the charger at silly O'clock so I would have a better chance to get on it.
If and when I used that pump (Or any pump in this situation) I stick to the rule of charging to 80% if someone was waiting.
Or I would come off the pump if someone turned up while I was between 80 & 100%.
I only charged to 100% a couple of time anyhoo. It can take just along as it takes to charge from 10% to 80% to charge from 80% - 100%.
The charger was turned back to to a pay charger on Tuesday and since then you would think there was a quarantine zone around the thing.
Why turned back to pay? I don't know for sure? Because of the usage of the charger? Because of the increase of wholesale? Anyone's guess?

I don't begrudge anyone getting a free charge. (Everyone loves a freebie)
Sadly I think the rude behaviour is the product of the society we live in and is just human nature

Thoughts on the above? Stories if you have them?
Has this happened/happening in your area?

That is such a shame these people make it worse for everyone else.

 

[EV Geek NI]

In sunny N Ireland all public chargers are free quite a poor network though and poorly maintained. I’m loving it while it lasts 5600 miles on my MG5 since March and have only had to granny charge at home 4 overnights

 

[Webbo]

Pod Point turned a single 50kWh Rapid over to free vend at my local Tesco's overflow car park back July-ish.
I pass this charger multiple times in my daily runs and from the very start the charger barely caught a break.
Like Fly's to Sh........ Moths to a light it was. Myself included a handful of times and this is what I have seen and been told by other drivers while I was there.

Local Uber drivers in Tesla Model S's hording the pump for hours.
I think the whole local DPD EV fleet started a new depo there at times
I saw 5 EV's parked around the charger waiting, when I passed it on one occasion (Utter madness)
Many cars being charged to 100% with and without owners with the car. (Many of the with out's leaving the car plugged in for ages and not returning after fully charging)
Many owner staying with the cars telling others where to go when the 80% charging was mentioned! (The DPD drivers being the worst for that) Absolute chaos at times.
For the times I used it I went to the charger at silly O'clock so I would have a better chance to get on it.
If and when I used that pump (Or any pump in this situation) I stick to the rule of charging to 80% if someone was waiting.
Or I would come off the pump if someone turned up while I was between 80 & 100%.
I only charged to 100% a couple of time anyhoo. It can take just along as it takes to charge from 10% to 80% to charge from 80% - 100%.
The charger was turned back to to a pay charger on Tuesday and since then you would think there was a quarantine zone around the thing.
Why turned back to pay? I don't know for sure? Because of the usage of the charger? Because of the increase of wholesale? Anyone's guess?

I don't begrudge anyone getting a free charge. (Everyone loves a freebie)
Sadly I think the rude behaviour is the product of the society we live in and is just human nature

Thoughts on the above? Stories if you have them?
Has this happened/happening in your area?

went to a rapid charger in Formby ahead of a drive back to Leicester, there was a ZS on the charger with an elderly couple reading books. Their car was on 82%, I asked if he intended going to 100% and the reply was "yes we always do, it's our local charger"

 

[JodyS21]

went to a rapid charger in Formby ahead of a drive back to Leicester, there was a ZS on the charger with an elderly couple reading books. Their car was on 82%, I asked if he intended going to 100% and the reply was "yes we always do, it's our local charger"

OMG! Did you "discuss" it further with them, maybe they don't understand....

 

[Webbo]

OMG! Did you "discuss" it further with them, maybe they don't understand....

I explained I had a long drive ahead of me and would like to charge ( by this time his was on 85%) neither he or his companion raised their eyes from their books and sat there for another 35 minutes until he got his 100%. I very nearly hit the big red button at one point!

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

went to a rapid charger in Formby ahead of a drive back to Leicester, there was a ZS on the charger with an elderly couple reading books. Their car was on 82%, I asked if he intended going to 100% and the reply was "yes we always do, it's our local charger"

I'm guessing this was a free charger? People need to be incentivised to adopt sensible behaviours. Public chargers need to be more expensive than home charging. Tariffs, overstay penalties and/or enforcement necessary to prevent blocking and excessive dwell times.

 

[Shrink Proof]

It seems that local authorities are way behind on charging infrastructure too, I've emailed my local council three times to ask about local chargers for our town just outside the Bolton border but as yet received no replies Two-thirds of local authorities have no EV charging plans - The Transport Network

Northern Powerhouse? Or perhaps "levelling up" in action?

 

[Webbo]

I'm guessing this was a free charger? People need to be incentivised to adopt sensible behaviours. Public chargers need to be more expensive than home charging. Tariffs, overstay penalties and/or enforcement necessary to prevent blocking and excessive dwell times.

No, BP Pulse

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

BP Pulse

In which case they are likely paying 35p/kWh contactless, 29p/kWh if members and willing to pay in advance, or 23p/kWh plus £7.85 monthly subscription. In each case there would be an additional £10/hour after initial 90 mins period.

It would probably be cheaper for them to charge at home if that was an option (and I for one wouldn't run an EV unless it was an option), and would involve less waiting about for them if they moved on at 80-odd percent, and took on more power when they were next passing.

However it is their time and money, and if they are charging within terms and conditions that is their entitlement. At least they were there to let you know how long they were planning to stay. It is much worse when the driver is absent and you have no clue if they will be 5 more minutes or well over an hour.